Council Picking litter... 4 guys, 3 vehicles
Discussion
A couple of weeks ago I was driving out of Crawley, along a 50mph dual carriageway. The 'central reservation' had a large metal fence then a thick/over grown hedgerow along it's length.
As I approached it I saw 3 council vehicles, 2 were the van pick up styles pulling a 'One lane closed trailer' one 100-200m in front of the other. Another 100m up was one of the large lorries with the crash cushion behind it, with an arrow indicating to move to the left hand lane. And in front of him... was a single, solitary man picking up litter at a walking pace. All drivers were slouched on their steering wheels clearly bored out of their heads.
On my return journey home a few hours later I spotted them again a mile or two further up, still rolling along at a few mph.
Now, I like a clean litter free environment as much as the next guy, but the cost involved of picking up those pieces of litter really made me cringe. How do Council justify this on their budgets? Fair enough the guy at the front needs protecting, but It seemed like madness to me over a few crisp packets in a hedgerow....
As I approached it I saw 3 council vehicles, 2 were the van pick up styles pulling a 'One lane closed trailer' one 100-200m in front of the other. Another 100m up was one of the large lorries with the crash cushion behind it, with an arrow indicating to move to the left hand lane. And in front of him... was a single, solitary man picking up litter at a walking pace. All drivers were slouched on their steering wheels clearly bored out of their heads.
On my return journey home a few hours later I spotted them again a mile or two further up, still rolling along at a few mph.
Now, I like a clean litter free environment as much as the next guy, but the cost involved of picking up those pieces of litter really made me cringe. How do Council justify this on their budgets? Fair enough the guy at the front needs protecting, but It seemed like madness to me over a few crisp packets in a hedgerow....
Operatives working on roads that have restrictions over 50mph are required to have a series of measures in place to protect the staff from being run over, no matter how many staff that is doing the actual work. Its known as Chapter 8 and the HSE put it in place years ago. Most Councils only do litter picking of roads like that every 13 weeks and only in short sections due to the cost of carrying out the work.
What's new recently before the flooding I saw council gully/drain cleaning in a 30 mph zone. So two drain lorrys with 2 guys in , 2 flatbed transits with the big traffic arrows on 2 guys in each . Then overseeing this 2 guys with stop go lollipops , and another couple telling them what to do... I thought it was abit you know overboard for cleaning drains with a lorry with huge flashing lights on ...phil1967 said:
Operatives working on roads that have restrictions over 50mph are required to have a series of measures in place to protect the staff from being run over, no matter how many staff that is doing the actual work. Its known as Chapter 8 and the HSE put it in place years ago. Most Councils only do litter picking of roads like that every 13 weeks and only in short sections due to the cost of carrying out the work.
This.It's for the protection of the workforce and the road user.
You can't have a couple of guys walking along the verge of a 50 mph road with no measures to protect them.
OP have you ever stood 3ft away from a carriageway when an article passes you at 50?
Bloody scarey it is!
phil1967 said:
Operatives working on roads that have restrictions over 50mph are required to have a series of measures in place to protect the staff from being run over, no matter how many staff that is doing the actual work. Its known as Chapter 8 and the HSE put it in place years ago. Most Councils only do litter picking of roads like that every 13 weeks and only in short sections due to the cost of carrying out the work.
What he said! They cant win, if its not you complaining about this its someone else complaining that the central res is covered with litter. Believe me, if they didn't need that amount of traffic management they wouldn't have it! My suggestion;
1) have 2 or 3 guys doing the litter pick to speed it up.
2) reduce it to just the large bumper cushion lorry with all its flashing lights. The first two vans are meer distractions leaving people wondering what's going on as they go passed them... Both were driving on the left hand side verge so keeping people looking left/over their shoulder.
3) wait for them to cut the hedgerow (via slow moving tractor) and pick litter at the same time.
4) leave the litter there and pick when maintenance is required on the road only.... Drainage, pot holes, lights, over head trees, accidents etc
We're running out of money, and priorities are required. Picking litter like that is an utter farce imo.. They cut the grass only when it reaches knee height or poses a risk so they hardly care about beautification....
1) have 2 or 3 guys doing the litter pick to speed it up.
2) reduce it to just the large bumper cushion lorry with all its flashing lights. The first two vans are meer distractions leaving people wondering what's going on as they go passed them... Both were driving on the left hand side verge so keeping people looking left/over their shoulder.
3) wait for them to cut the hedgerow (via slow moving tractor) and pick litter at the same time.
4) leave the litter there and pick when maintenance is required on the road only.... Drainage, pot holes, lights, over head trees, accidents etc
We're running out of money, and priorities are required. Picking litter like that is an utter farce imo.. They cut the grass only when it reaches knee height or poses a risk so they hardly care about beautification....
Andehh said:
My suggestion;
1) have 2 or 3 guys doing the litter pick to speed it up.
2) reduce it to just the large bumper cushion lorry with all its flashing lights. The first two vans are meer distractions leaving people wondering what's going on as they go passed them... Both were driving on the left hand side verge so keeping people looking left/over their shoulder.
3) wait for them to cut the hedgerow (via slow moving tractor) and pick litter at the same time.
4) leave the litter there and pick when maintenance is required on the road only.... Drainage, pot holes, lights, over head trees, accidents etc
We're running out of money, and priorities are required. Picking litter like that is an utter farce imo.. They cut the grass only when it reaches knee height or poses a risk so they hardly care about beautification....
Although they may be a distraction, they are required when carrying out this work. Unfortuantely, due to complaints from members of the public over cleanliness of land, LA's are also required to make provision to keep the land free of litter within reason. That stretch you saw those guys may not get done again for up to a year, though to be frank, the litter appears very quickly so you wouldn't notice any had gone. 1) have 2 or 3 guys doing the litter pick to speed it up.
2) reduce it to just the large bumper cushion lorry with all its flashing lights. The first two vans are meer distractions leaving people wondering what's going on as they go passed them... Both were driving on the left hand side verge so keeping people looking left/over their shoulder.
3) wait for them to cut the hedgerow (via slow moving tractor) and pick litter at the same time.
4) leave the litter there and pick when maintenance is required on the road only.... Drainage, pot holes, lights, over head trees, accidents etc
We're running out of money, and priorities are required. Picking litter like that is an utter farce imo.. They cut the grass only when it reaches knee height or poses a risk so they hardly care about beautification....
Hedgerow cutting may be down to every couple of years.
It was probably likely that there was meant to be more than 1 person litter picking but due to sickness/unknown absence, it does not always work out that way.
Guess which department i manage for a council....
phil1967 said:
Andehh said:
My suggestion;
1) have 2 or 3 guys doing the litter pick to speed it up.
2) reduce it to just the large bumper cushion lorry with all its flashing lights. The first two vans are meer distractions leaving people wondering what's going on as they go passed them... Both were driving on the left hand side verge so keeping people looking left/over their shoulder.
3) wait for them to cut the hedgerow (via slow moving tractor) and pick litter at the same time.
4) leave the litter there and pick when maintenance is required on the road only.... Drainage, pot holes, lights, over head trees, accidents etc
We're running out of money, and priorities are required. Picking litter like that is an utter farce imo.. They cut the grass only when it reaches knee height or poses a risk so they hardly care about beautification....
Although they may be a distraction, they are required when carrying out this work. Unfortuantely, due to complaints from members of the public over cleanliness of land, LA's are also required to make provision to keep the land free of litter within reason. That stretch you saw those guys may not get done again for up to a year, though to be frank, the litter appears very quickly so you wouldn't notice any had gone. 1) have 2 or 3 guys doing the litter pick to speed it up.
2) reduce it to just the large bumper cushion lorry with all its flashing lights. The first two vans are meer distractions leaving people wondering what's going on as they go passed them... Both were driving on the left hand side verge so keeping people looking left/over their shoulder.
3) wait for them to cut the hedgerow (via slow moving tractor) and pick litter at the same time.
4) leave the litter there and pick when maintenance is required on the road only.... Drainage, pot holes, lights, over head trees, accidents etc
We're running out of money, and priorities are required. Picking litter like that is an utter farce imo.. They cut the grass only when it reaches knee height or poses a risk so they hardly care about beautification....
Hedgerow cutting may be down to every couple of years.
It was probably likely that there was meant to be more than 1 person litter picking but due to sickness/unknown absence, it does not always work out that way.
Guess which department i manage for a council....
for goodness' sake!Pothole said:
You should know by now that sensible, accurate answers are not what it required on this type of thread. If you can't pile on the 'moneywasting, workshy, gravy train-riding councillors' bandwagon, then for goodness' sake!
Exactly, you need to spend less time sat coming up with ridiculous and pointless ideas that 'waste' money! I actually cant believe that council officers spend their days applying for TMA notices, traffic light notices and the new dreaded 'permit to work' permits etc, just to p for goodness' sake!
s off Joe public with unnecessary TM!
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